Curse Of The Lady's Light GM Resources

Curse Of The Lady's Light is part 2 of 6 of the Shattered Star Adventure Path; that book
is necessary to run the adventure but Pathfinder Fate Accelerated write ups are
provided for the various opponents and challenges faced therein. Use the linked
to documents as relevant to the published adventure.

Work In Progress...

Part 3: The Lady's Light

The Lady's Light: Dungeon Level 1

K1: The False Sepulcher

Part 3 starts off with perhaps the most notable and distinctive encounter of the
adventure, a rather unusual trap that effectively 'kills' one of the adventurers
and forces their mind to inhabit a clone of Sorshen, the
Runelord of Lust.

If this does occur, a canny adventurer can exploit looking *almost exactly like
Sorshen at various points throughout the adventure to trick some of those met along
the way.

After the adventure concludes, being a physical ringer for Sorshen might come in
handy in later parts of the Adventure Path. Additionally, Sorshen was considered
to be one of the greatest beauties of her age; the adventurer might find being a
world class beauty to be an interesting complicating factor. Not to mention no longer
looking like whatever they used to look like, and thus being unrecognizable to friend
and foe alike.

*The real Sorshen had some tattoos and embedded ioun stone-like gems that the Clone
lacks.

GM Considerations

In Fate Accelerated terms this body swap has practically no mechanical impact; it
is basically a cosmetic change and can be "tracked" by the simple expedient of adding
an Aspect to the affected character, or possibly modifying the character's High
Concept.

However this "trap" presents a philosophical problem. While a
capricious multiverse vs hapless mortals encounter of this sort is not
uncommon in D&D type games (and in fact this particular trap was generally well
received among the Pathfinder player base, many of whom seemed to find an unusual
amount of glee at the idea of forced gender reassignment), it goes against the cooperative
nature of Fate Accelerated to force this kind of permanent change on a player as
it robs them of agency and control over their own character's story. This is particularly
true if a gender change results from the situation, as some players are not interested
in roleplaying a character of the opposite gender from themselves.

Thus, it is recommended that the GM carefully consider how they want to incorporate
this encounter into their Pathfinder Fate Accelerated game.

Some GM's may just be using Fate Accelerated for the game engine rather than the
collaborative or narrative facets of FAE, and thus prefer to adhere to the source
material and run it as is.

From a story consideration, other than opening up possibilities for subterfuge based
upon mistaken identity, this encounter serves no purpose in the overarching story.
And there is no logical reason for Sorshen to place one of her clones in the first
and thus most accessible room in her elaborate lair, and it makes even less sense
for there to be a trap that would force some interloper to possess the clone (the
source material presents it as a whacky unintended magical mishap, which makes even
less sense). So, basically, the only reason this encounter exists here is to make
the adventure more "interesting". Thus some GM's might feel that this encounter
adds nothing to their game or is grounded in concepts they rather not include in
their game, and thus prefer to cut the encounter from the adventure altogether.
For instance, if running more of a family-style game or if the group includes underage
players.

And still other GM's might prefer to have an up-front discussion with their group
to reveal this potential "plot point" to see if any of the players are interested
in having it happen to their character. If so, cool; if not simply dropping the
encounter is expedient.

Challenge:Destroying the magical portal by directly damaging it is a Wondrous (+10) challenge.

Easier Challenge:A character with Arcane of +3 or greater can attempt to dispel the portal as an Astonishing (+9) challenge while being Forceful.

Easier Challenge:A character with Primal of +3 or greater can attempt to dispel the portal as a Legendary (+8) challenge while being Careful. Additionally, a character with the Hydromancy Stunt may reroll any two dice from their 4dF resolution once.

This translucent creature's shape shifts between a spinning column of water and a crashing wave.

Note that the 'Moving Water' ability bonus applies to any sort of action that involves water, requiring only narrative justification.

Immune To Cold:Because I am immune to cold, I am unaffected by any malign effect that relies on cold.

Fast Swimmer:Because I am a fast swimmer, I may move an extra zone for free when swimming and this does not prevent me from attacking. Alternately, if I do nothing but move while swimming I may use this ability to move two (2) extra zones.

Watery Slam (-2):Because I'm able to slam and submerge things with large quantities of water; if I get a boost while attacking while Moving Water, I may upgrade the boost to knock my target down in the current zone or back into an adjacent zone, and also apply the Aspect Waterlogged! with two (2) invokes on it. The target cannot attack, create advantage, or move more than one (1) zone until the Aspect is removed; it may be overcome as a Good (+3) difficulty and failed attempts to overcome remove an invoke.

Summon Water Elemental:Because of my elemental affinity, as an action I can summon a small water elemental and command it to serve me for a scene. See the Small Water Elemental profile for details. I cannot move in the same exchange that I use this ability.

Mundane Reduction:Because I am extremely resistent to non-magical damage, I reduce by two (2) all stress inflicted on me by normal mundane weapons and attacks.

K6: Underground Lake

This is another complex area with a number of parts; the GM should read the description
in the source material closely.

In summary this area contains a lake with a cascade that presents a boating hazard,
a possibility to lasso a mooring to avoid going over the cascade, and a platform
guarded by a statue which is actually a glass golem. There are also some ancient
Thassilonian runes to be translated.

K7: Maidens' Grave

There are some Grey Maiden corpses here that offer an opportunity for knowledgeable
adventurers to realize that a group of Grey Maidens, infamous villains of dark days
in Korvosa's recent history, are involved.

Challenge:Identifying the corpses as being Grey Maidens is a Fantastic (+6) difficulty.

Easier Challenge:The difficulty is reduced by (-1) for adventurers with some background in Varisia, by (-2) for adventurers with general knowledge of Korvosa, or by (-3) for adventurers who have lived in Korvsa or who have encountered the Grey Maidens previously.

An adventurer able to cast a spell similar to Speak With Dead, presented below, can get even more useful information.

Overcome while Carefully Divine vs a Fair (+2) difficulty to get the answer to one or more (1+) basic questions from a corpse; success grants one (1) question and each extra shift grants one (1) additional question. Some stipulations and restrictions apply.

You grant the semblance of life and intellect to a corpse, allowing it to answer
several questions that you put to it. The corpse’s knowledge is
limited to what the creature knew during life, including the languages it spoke
(if any). Answers are usually brief, cryptic, or repetitive. If the corpse was
inimical to you in life, the answers may be grudging or incomplete but not untrue.

If the corpse has been subject to speak with dead within the past week, the new
spell fails. You can cast this spell on a corpse that has been deceased for any
amount of time, but the body must be mostly intact to be able to respond. A damaged
corpse may be able to give partial answers or partially correct answers, but it
must at least have a mouth in order to speak at all.

This spell does not let you actually speak to the person (whose soul has departed).
It instead draws on the imprinted knowledge stored in the corpse. The partially
animated body retains the imprint of the soul that once inhabited it, and thus it
can speak with all the knowledge that the creature had while alive. The corpse,
however, cannot learn new information. Indeed, it can’t even remember being questioned.

This spell does not affect a corpse that has been turned into an undead creature.

K10: Pillared Hall

The most notable feature of this area is a row of columns carved in the shape of
beautiful women.

The heads of three of the statues are really Thassilonian Sentinels, ancient constructs
that were commonly used in the Thassilonian era as an effective security system.
They are fairly dangerous and very difficult to damage. Use three (3) instances
of the following write-up.

Cast from metal in the form of a large humanoid head, this creature perches on six sharp and spidery mechanical legs, its eyes intermittently shining with an orange glow.

Thassilonian Sentinels cannot be summoned; they must be created via a time consuming process that is almost entirely lost to history.

Constructed Senses (-2):Because I perceive the world via magical sensors, I can see perfectly in total darkness, even if I am 'blinded'. Additionally, I can sense invisibile things that are near me; I gain +2 to overcome any Aspect related to invisibility or a similar effect within my zone.

Constructed Resistances (-4):Because I am a construct I am immune to death effects, disease, mental effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and energy drain. I also don't need to breathe and never get tired.

Immune To Magic (-2):Because I am immune to almost all magic, I am unaffected by any malign effect that relies on magic.

The exception to this is that I am not immune to magic that explicitly affects or
manipulates metal (and similar effects), and electricity based effects.

Made Of Metal (-2):Because I am made of metal, I reduce by 2 all stress inflicted on me by acid, cold, fire, force, and physical attacks. However metal-affecting magics not only ignore this resistence, they gain a +2 bonus when used against me.

Still As A Statue:Because I am able to pose as an ornamental statue, unmoving for as long as I care to be, I get +2 when I create advantage or overcome challenges to avoid notice if I am immobile and posed appropriately. In most scenes, if I am already in an area and posed appropriately I will already have the situational Aspect 'Just A Statue' on myself which I am assumed to have succeeded with style to create and thus have two (2) invokes on it.

Ambusher:Because I am so good at ambushing my prey, if I am able to surprise an opponent I gain +4 to attack in the first exchange.

Sentinel Alarum:Because I am a construct designed to be a remote sentinel, when I perceive an intrusion in the area I have been programmed to guard, I trigger a telepathic magical alarm which alerts my operator to the intrusion, including basic details of the intruders.

Effect:+5 to poke holes into things that fall in to the pit as an attack

K12: Battle Site

An elaborate mural and the remains of the Grey Maiden's final battle against incubi
and faux Sorshen decorate this room. The sole remaining incubus guard remains.

Note that the incubus can teleport within the limits of the Lady's Light.

Note: even a single incubus can present a challenging combat; additionally from
a logical point of view the incubus could just teleport to faux Sorshen and bring
matters to a head more quickly than the adventure as written seems to expect.

Some GM's might opt to skip this encounter altogether; the flow of the adventure
is unaffected by such a decision.

Challenge:Identifying the corpses as being Grey Maidens is a Fantastic (+6) difficulty.

Easier Challenge:The difficulty is reduced by (-1) for adventurers with some background in Varisia, by (-2) for adventurers with general knowledge of Korvosa, or by (-3) for adventurers who have lived in Korvsa or who have encountered the Grey Maidens previously.

Detect Good:Because I am sensitive to ethical and moral propensities, I am able to sense strong concentrations of virtue and goodness in individuals, objects, and areas from six (6) zones away even if the source in not detectable to my other senses. Additionally, I gain +2 to notice relevant concentrations of goodness while Focused.

Demonic Durability:Because my demonic nature makes me much more durable than normal, I reduce by two (2) all stress inflicted on me by physical attacks. However this does not work against magic, cold iron, or weapons blessed by a benign deity.

Diseased Bite:Because I can infect those I bite with a disease, if I bite someone and inflict a Moderate consequence, I can force it to be called Got The Shakes! or Filth Fever!. If I instead inflict a Severe consequence, I can force it to be called Red Ache! or Leprosy!. The same person can only be affected by this ability once per scene.

Translation:A gift for my Mistress Sorshen from her humble servant Ayandamahla, dedicated this celebrated day, the 25th anniversary of her ascension to rulership in Eurythnia. Present - Runelord Sorshen, Ayandamahla and her daughters Ashamintallu and Erixadallax, Lord & Lady of the Burning Bright, the Sisters of Charming & Delectation, and the Baron of Calamities, along with all slaves, servants, and supplicants in this, the Lady's Light. May she reign unchallenged forever.

L5: Skaveling Niches

TODO:
2 skavelings (upgraded mooks )

L6: The Lake of Longing

TODO:
compulsion contest

There are two giant moray eels lurking in the waters. Use two (2) instances of the
below write-up.
For maximum effect, rather than have both attack simultaneously have one eel ambush
the party, and
then at a climactic moment have the second eel strike.

Drowners of sailors and sinkers of ships, a fuath (FOO-ah) is a wicked gremlin found in the sea. It climbs aboard ships in the dead of night to sever ropes, bore holes in barrels, soil provisions, and murder any hapless crew it puts to sleep or catches alone. It delights in drowning creatures by surrounding them with magically thickened water, cackling with wicked glee as its victims claw desperately for the air only inches from their mouths.

Congeal Water (-2):Because I have a special magical ability, once per session I gain +4 to create advantage to attach the spell Aspect Trapped In A Bubble Of Congealed Water on an opponent in my zone or an adjacent zone. If I succeed, the target cannot breath and will begin to drown, taking one (1) stress at the beginning of each of their turns. The spell Aspect can be removed by overcoming a Fantastic (+6) difficulty; the difficulty is reduced by (-1) while being Forcefully Focused.

Vulnerability To Sunlight (+1):Because I am vulnerable to bright light, I suffer -1 to all 4dF resolutions while exposed to sunlight or other intense light. If exposed to sunlight for more than an hour, my [1] stress box is considered to be checked at all times; I recover from this after being in darkness for at least an hour.

Vulnerable To Heat and Flames (+1):Because I am vulnerable to heat and flames, I suffer one (1) additional stress from all heat or fire based attacks.

Physically Weak (+2):Because I am physically very weak, I suffer -4 to all 4dF resolutions that involve lifting or moving physical objects or applying physical force.

L9: Manacled Prisoners

This gruesome room sets the scene for the subsequent encounter with Daefu in area
L10, and the possible gaining of the Grey Maiden Helanda as an ally.

Challenge:Identifying the corpses as being Grey Maidens is a Fantastic (+6) difficulty.

Easier Challenge:The difficulty is reduced by (-1) for adventurers with some background in Varisia, by (-2) for adventurers with general knowledge of Korvosa, or by (-3) for adventurers who have lived in Korvsa or who have encountered the Grey Maidens previously.

Challenge:Identifying that the corpses bear signs of fatal torture is a Superb (+5) difficulty.

Easier Challenge:The difficulty is reduced by (-1) for adventurers with a background in medicine or healing, or direct knowledge of torture techniques

L10: Whipping Post Platform

Deathbalm Talisman:Because I have a Deathbalm Talisman, I gain +1 to defend against effects that would poison, sicken, weaken, or drain me. Additionally, once per session I can invoke the amulet to clear all of my stress and my Mild Consequence, or to reduce a non-social Moderate Consequence to a Mild Consequence; however if I do this the amulet becomes dormant and unusable for a day.

Drowners of sailors and sinkers of ships, a fuath (FOO-ah) is a wicked gremlin found in the sea. It climbs aboard ships in the dead of night to sever ropes, bore holes in barrels, soil provisions, and murder any hapless crew it puts to sleep or catches alone. It delights in drowning creatures by surrounding them with magically thickened water, cackling with wicked glee as its victims claw desperately for the air only inches from their mouths.

Congeal Water (-2):Because I have a special magical ability, once per session I gain +4 to create advantage to attach the spell Aspect Trapped In A Bubble Of Congealed Water on an opponent in my zone or an adjacent zone. If I succeed, the target cannot breath and will begin to drown, taking one (1) stress at the beginning of each of their turns. The spell Aspect can be removed by overcoming a Fantastic (+6) difficulty; the difficulty is reduced by (-1) while being Forcefully Focused.

Vulnerability To Sunlight (+1):Because I am vulnerable to bright light, I suffer -1 to all 4dF resolutions while exposed to sunlight or other intense light. If exposed to sunlight for more than an hour, my [1] stress box is considered to be checked at all times; I recover from this after being in darkness for at least an hour.

Vulnerable To Heat and Flames (+1):Because I am vulnerable to heat and flames, I suffer one (1) additional stress from all heat or fire based attacks.

Physically Weak (+2):Because I am physically very weak, I suffer -4 to all 4dF resolutions that involve lifting or moving physical objects or applying physical force.

Situation:Helanda is mortally wounded and if left untreated will die, probably within the hour. If the adventurers at least reduce her Severe Consequence to a Moderate Consequence, using whatever means are available to them, she will survive. This also opens up the possibility of her lending the adventurers aid.

Situation:Helanda has become disillusioned and is in a place mentally where she is willing to reconsider her loyalties. She can be turned into a willing ally with very little effort by a persuasive or kind adventurer.

Challenge:Turning Helanda into a willing ally is a Good (+3) social challenge. Difficulty is lowered by (-1) while being Careful. Difficulty is lowered by (-1) while being Roguish or Focused.

L11: Daefu's Lair

Daefu's lair contains her treasures. In addition to some loot of monetary value, there is also a potion of Cure Moderate Wounds with two usages remaining.
More significantly, there is an elemental air gem and an elemental earth gem. These magical items allow a one-time summoning of a Large Elemental.

Elemental Gem:These magical gems contain a bound Large Elemental. Each gem can
only be used once, and are destroyed in the process rendering them impractically
expensive for mass consumption. However, even a single use can have a significant impact
on a confrontation, making them quite useful in dire enough circumstances.

Benefit:A character may crush or break the Gem to release the Large Elemental trapped within it. The elemental follows the user's commands for one (1) scene, and then returns to their applicable elemental plane of origin.

Uses:[1]

Each usage box indicates a seperate use or application and each use expends a
usage box; when there are none left the item is expended.

Elemental Gems come in many varieties, one per kind of elemental. See
Elementals
for details on individual types of elementals

Bad At:Letting Go Of The Past (-2), -1 penalty when defending against physical attacks (+3 total when using Sword & Board)

Stress[1][2][3]

Mild (2)

Moderate (4)

Do not treat as a mob.

L15: The Golden Gallery

This room cotains a party-splitting teleport puzzle / trap that is rather arbitrarily
solved by interacting
with four statues and some floor plates in a very specific way. Depending on outcomes
an individual character
might be teleported to either area L19 or area L17. The GM should read the section carefully
before hand.

Note: some groups don't like puzzles, particularly ones such as this that are more
or less
randomly included just to spice up a delve with something other than combat. A given
GM can simply ignore this puzzle / trap altogether, or replace it with a more obviously
solveable equivalent.

Also, some groups don't mind splitting the party while others have very strong opinions
against doing so.
One simplification is to have a single success teleport everyone in the
room to area L19, and a single failure teleport everyone in the room to L17, removing
the party splitting outcome altogether.

There is also a somewhat stuck door leading to area L16, which leads to another
trap but at least offers a way forward without monkeying around with the statue
puzzle.

Situation:Figuring the puzzle out is best handled at the table by player ingenuity and in-character roleplaying.

Challenge:However, if a player wants to fall back on mechanics to make a 4dF roll to resolve the encounter, treat this as an Epic (+7) challenge best approached by being Cleverly Focused or using some form of Divinitory magic.

Thinking Outside The Box:A GM might also allow ingenous adventurers to 'hack the system' by reverse engineering the magical aparatus itself using Arcane or highly advanced Roguish competence with traps and magical devices. The best way to handle this would be as a multi-step challenge requiring two or more different kinds of checks, and optimally allowing two or more adventurers to contribute their skills to the outcome. For each additional check required, lower the difficulty by two levels, but if any of the checks fail the entire attempt fails. For instance an Arcane 'understand the underlying theory' check followed by a Roguish 'modify device to activate the teleporter' check would require two Superb (+5) checks instead of a single Epic (+7) check.

Challenge:Finessing the door open while being Roguish or using magic is a Superb (+5) challenge.

Easier Challenge:Forcing the door open while Forcefully Focused or Combative is merely a Fair (+2) difficulty, but results in a compel to encounter the pit trap waiting on the otherside of the door (see L16: Fools Rush In for details).

L16: Fools Rush In

A pit trap looms; a green slime lurks within.

If an adventurer forced the door in
from area L15: The Golden Gallery, the GM should compel them to immediately encounter
the slippery pit trap. If the compel is accepted the adventurer must immediately
defend against
a Great (+4) attack; if the attack is successful in addition to inflicting stress
as normal it
also indicates the victim has fallen into the pit.

Do not treat as a mob. Shadow Mastiffs fight together as a pack, but using individual tactics to herd, flank, and outmaneuver prey.

Although shaped like a dog, this muscular creature has a coat that drinks up the light, drawing shadows in around it. Its maw is full of sharp teeth, and a wisp of shadow drips from its writhing tongue.

Darkvision:Because I have Darkvision I can see perfectly in total darkness.

Relentless Tracker:Because I am so good at tracking my prey, I get +2 when I create advantage or overcome challenges related to tracking things down in wilderness settings.

Lurker In Shadows (-2):Because I am really good at lurking in shadows, either due to skill or a magical ability, I gain +1 to all of my actions while I am cloaked in a reasonable amount of shadow or darkness.

Terrifying Sound:Because I am able to make a terrifying sound, I gain +1 when attempting to frighten or demoralize while doing so. Alternately, once per scene if I move a zone and attack I may also attempt to create advantage to frighten or demoralize everyone in the same zone as my target as a free action by making my scary sound simultaneously with my attack.

Benefit:This small rectangular block of sweet smelling incense is visually indistinguishable from nonmagical incense until lit.
If a divine spellcaster spends at least an hour meditating and praying while in the same zone as burning incense of meditation,
the situational Aspect Meditative Focus is
attached to them and lasts for a full day unless expended or removed.
While affected by this situational Aspect, the divine caster gains +1 shift to all 4dF rolls they make
while being Carefully Divine.

Uses:[1][1]

Each usage box indicates a seperate use or application and each use expends a
usage box; when there are none left the item is expended.

Everburning Incense Box:Because I have a magical Everburning Incense Box that emits soothing cinnamon-scented smoke whenever I open its lid,
I can use it to aid me in certain situations.
If I am able to use it prior to a social encounter to prepare a room or chamber, I gain (+1) to all subsequent social actions I take within the prepared area.
The benefit of the effect lasts for several minutes after the box is closed, unless a strong wind or something similar clears the incense from the room.
Mystical senses can detect the subtle magic by overcoming an Epic (+7) challenge, and it can be suppressed with dispelling magics for a scene by overcoming a Superb (+5) challenge.

While Carefully Divine I may attempt to clear a specific stress box or consequence by overcoming a difficulty equal to the numerical value of the stress box or Consequence.

L19: Opulent Chamber

Four disturbing Sinspawn of Lust wait within this chamber. Use four (4) instances
of
the following write-up.

Note: this encounter doesn't really forward the plot, and can be removed. Alternately,
this encounter and the subsequent encounter with Chanukrah in L20: The Grand Ballroom
can be collapsed into a single encounter.

L22: Chamber of Commerce

This door contains the Grey Maiden's second-in-command
Quenelle and three (3) Grey Maidens. There is also a secret door which
the Grey Maidens are unaware of.

Quenelle has completely bought into the idea of re-founding Eurythnia anew and is
fanatically loyal to Ashmintallu (masquerading as Sorshen). Quenelle is a vicious,
experienced warrior with many years of experience and a grim background as a Grey
Maiden hardliner during the reign of Queen Illeosa. She should be able to put up
quite a fight, going on the offensive immediately but cannily switching to a fighting
retreat if the battle does not go her way.

Challenge:Requires special senses to detect the presense of vampiric mists by overcoming a Good (+3) difficulty

Use six (6) instances of the following write-up for the vampiric mists.

Note: this can be a very lethal encounter, and is specifically noted as being "optional"
in the source material.

The vampiric mists have been gorging themselves on the blood produced by the magical
mural and thus effectively start the conflict having used their
Blood Siphon ability one or more times.

Thus, for each of the six vampiric mists roll a single Fate die. Each vampiric mist
that rolls a "-" has one (1) fate point, each vampiric mist that rolls a blank has
two (2) fate points, and each vampiric mist that rolls a "+" has three (3) fate
points.

The babau is an assassin, a murderer, and a sadist—certainly not traits unusual in the demons, yet the babau's penchant for stealth and surprise sets it apart from its generally less-subtle kin. With no need to eat (although most babaus relish the flavor of mortal meat on their thin, raspy tongues), a babau can wait in ambush for years or decades—their inhuman patience in anticipating a well-conceived murder also setting them apart from the other denizens of the Abyss.

Babaus obsess over the act of killing and take great pride in their grisly art,
often leaving behind some form of grim marker or obscure signature, whether it be
a distinctive modus operandi, an unnerving token, or other profane evidence.

A babau typically carries a longspear or other weapon with which it can strike at
foes beyond its normal reach, but given the opportunity, a babau prefers to fight
with its teeth or claws. The foul, caustic sludge that constantly seeps from their
flesh prevents them from wearing armor unless it is specially treated or resistant
to acid.

A babau is 6 feet tall but weighs only 140 pounds. They form from mortal souls of
lone killers—those who, in life, took pleasure in more personal and intimate murders.
Loosed upon the Material Plane, a babau often finds itself in the same role, haunting
the shadowy corners of the world as remorseless assassins.

Challenge:Difficulty to recognize a specifc Runelord while being Cleverly Focused is Fantastic (+6)

Recognizing each Runelord is a seperate challenge. If an adventurer has already displayed that they know what a particular Runelord looked like during previous play, they automatically recognize that particular Runelord's statue. For instance, if an adventurer saw the images of the Runelord of Wrath in the Tower of the Crow during the Shards of Sin adventure and became aware of Alaznist's identity and appearance, that adventurer recognizes the likeness of Alaznist here.

Challenge:Difficulty to figure out how to use the teleporter while being Cleverly Focused is Fantastic (+6)

Easier Challenge:Difficulty to figure out how to use the teleporter while being Cleverly Arcane is Superb (+5)

If the players are stuck on how to move past this room, or if one of the adventurers has a background that seems relevant, allow the player characters an opportunity to figure it out via some narrative support and a 4dF resolution check. If necessary, offer a 'fail forward' opportunity to succeed here at a cost, or allow a character to spend a Fate point to get lucky or have a moment of inspiration. Allowing the game to grind to a halt while the group struggles to get past this room should be avoided.

This cloud-like creature has dark hollows reminiscent of eyes and a mouth, and a howling wind whips it into ominous shapes. Moving like a cyclone, and able to expand and contract itself rapidly at will, this elemental is fast and dangerous.

Note that the 'Moving Air' ability bonus applies to any sort of action that involves air, requiring only narrative justification.

Immune To Electricity:Because I am immune to electricity, I am unaffected by any malign effect that relies on electricity.

Fast Flyer:Because I am able to fly very fast, if I do nothing but move while flying I may use this ability to move four zones instead of two.

Lightning Storm (-3):Because of my elemental affinity I am able to project an arc of electricity that jumps from target to target. Each exchange I gain +4 to attack all enemy targets in my zone or an adjacent zone without having to split my shifts between them.

Mundane Reduction:Because I am extremely resistent to non-magical damage, I reduce by two (2) all stress inflicted on me by normal mundane weapons and attacks.

This hulking, roughly humanoid creature of dirt and stone explodes up from the earth, faceless save for two glowing gemstone eyes.

Note that Brickishness applies to any action related to being big, strong, and durable.

Immune To Acid:Because I am immune to acid, I am unaffected by any malign effect that relies on acid.

Stoney Slam (-3):Because I'm able to slam and bash things with my body made of stone; I gain +1 to attack while being Brickish. If I get a boost while attacking, I may upgrade the boost to knock my target down in the current zone or back into an adjacent zone, and also apply the Aspect Slammed! with three (3) free invokes on it. The target cannot attack, create advantage, or move more than one (1) zone until the Aspect is removed; it may be overcome as a Good (+3) difficulty and failed attempts to overcome remove an invoke.

Stoney Skin:Because of my elemental affinity I am able to protect myself with a stoney skin that shields me from damage, I reduce by one (1) all stress inflicted on me by physical and magical attacks.

Mundane Reduction:Because I am extremely resistent to non-magical damage, I reduce by two (2) all stress inflicted on me by normal mundane weapons and attacks.

This translucent creature's shape shifts between a spinning column of water and a crashing wave.

Note that the 'Moving Water' ability bonus applies to any sort of action that involves water, requiring only narrative justification.

Immune To Cold:Because I am immune to cold, I am unaffected by any malign effect that relies on cold.

Fast Swimmer:Because I am a fast swimmer, I may move an extra zone for free when swimming and this does not prevent me from attacking. Alternately, if I do nothing but move while swimming I may use this ability to move two (2) extra zones.

Watery Slam (-2):Because I'm able to slam and submerge things with large quantities of water; if I get a boost while attacking while Moving Water, I may upgrade the boost to knock my target down in the current zone or back into an adjacent zone, and also apply the Aspect Waterlogged! with two (2) invokes on it. The target cannot attack, create advantage, or move more than one (1) zone until the Aspect is removed; it may be overcome as a Good (+3) difficulty and failed attempts to overcome remove an invoke.

Summon Water Elemental:Because of my elemental affinity, as an action I can summon a small water elemental and command it to serve me for a scene. See the Small Water Elemental profile for details. I cannot move in the same exchange that I use this ability.

Mundane Reduction:Because I am extremely resistent to non-magical damage, I reduce by two (2) all stress inflicted on me by normal mundane weapons and attacks.

This creature looks like a living, mobile bonfire, tongues of flame reaching out in search of things to burn.

Note that Burning applies to any action where fire is relevant.

Immune To Fire:Because I am immune to fire, I am unaffected by any malign effect that relies on fire.

Made Of Fire (-3):Because I am made of fire; I gain +1 to attack and defend while Burning. If I get a boost while attacking or defending in this way, I may upgrade the boost to apply the Aspect On Fire! with three (3) free invokes on it to the opponent I am engaged with. This Aspect is automatically invoked at the beginning of each exchange to inflict 2 stress on the victim. It is a Good (+3) difficulty to overcome this Aspect.

Mundane Reduction:Because I am extremely resistent to non-magical damage, I reduce by two (2) all stress inflicted on me by normal mundane weapons and attacks.

M2: The Spinning Serpents

Challenge:When a person enters this area, all magic-related or spell Aspects attached to them or
their gear with a difficulty to overcome of Epic (+7) or lower are immediately removed from play.
Further, the difficulty of any attempt to cast a spell or create a magic-related or spell Aspect while in
this area is increased by (+7); any ability of this sort that does not require a 4dF roll (such as
upgrading a boost to a spell Aspect) automatically fails.

Benefit:Everyone entering this area is subjected to powerful ambient magic.
The first time a person enters this area in a given week all debilitating situational Aspects
currently affecting their health or normal
functioning with a difficulty to remove of Epic (+7) or less are immediately removed.
This does not work on environmental Aspects, scene Aspects, or other situational Aspects
that affect a person externally, it only works against situational Aspects that affect them
directly and personally such as poison, fatigue, curses, and so forth.
Additionally, all stress boxes and Moderate and Mild Consequences are cleared, and
Severe Consequences are downgraded to Moderate Consequences.

M3: Sorshen's Boudoir

This is where the adventure boss resides; Ashamintallu, the alu-demon masquerading
as Runelord Sorshen.
The provided write-up should present a solid challenge for a group of adventurers,
but if you think your
PC's need a tougher encounter feel free to equip Ashamintallu with some of the loot
listed under M4: Arcane Oubliette; particularly the Orb of Consumption.

This cruel device could not seem less intimidating—it appears as nothing more frightening
than a hollow sphere of pink glass the size of a halfling's head. When it is held
in both hands and its command word is spoken, a pulsing light throbs at the core
of the sphere and the sound of an ongoing exhalation of breath emanates from the
orb.

This effect lasts for as long as the user concentrates, spending their entire turn
to keep the orb activated.

Each turn that the user concentrates on keeping the orb activated, every other character
in their zone must overcome an Epic (+7) challenge; or a Superb (+5) challenge if
being Carefully
Focused. Characters who succeed can take their action as normal. Those who fail
are compelled to use their action
to approach and touch the orb. Characters compelled in this way may spend a Fate
point to resist the effect and
take their action this turn as normal.

The orb itself inflicts an Epic (+7) magical attack on anyone other than
its user who fails to resist the orb's lure and makes physical contact with the
orb. The attack takes the form of enervating magic that saps a victim's life force.

If the orb inflicts a consequence on any of its victims,
it places the spell Aspect Consumed Lifeforce on
its user, or adds an additional free invoke to the Aspect if it already exists.
This Aspect can be invoked by the orb's user whenever they are being Focused to
improve their chances of success.

The Consumed Lifeforce spell Aspect can be removed
using appropriate magic by overcoming an Epic (+7) difficulty.

Immovable Rod:Because I have a magical Immovable Rod, its special magical abilities aid me in my adventures.

This rod is a flat iron bar with a small button on one end. When
the button is pushed the rod anchors itself in its current position and will not
budge, even
if staying in place defies gravity.

Thus the owner can lift or place the rod wherever
they can reach, push the button, and let go leaving the rod anchored in place.
Several immovable rods can even make a ladder
when used together (although only two are strictly necessary).

The magic of one immovable rod can support up to five tons before catastrophically
failing, causing the rod to deactivate and cease working. However, multiple immovable
rods might be used in tandem to support more weight.

Despite
the seeming incongruity with the name it actually is possible to move an activated
immovable rod by overcoming a Wondrous (+10) challenge while being Forcefully Focused.
Success allows the rod to be moved up to a foot, and each additional shift allows
another three feet of distance. The rod will remain in its new location after being
moved in this way. Of course this is largely irrelevant as a person with the ability
to manipulate the rod could simply turn it off, move it to the desired location, and
then turn it back on.

Armor Of Fortification (-2):Because I have a suit of Armor of Fortification, while wearing it I gain +1 to defend against physical attacks and when opponents inflict a damage-related consequence on me they do not get a free invoke on it.

Bottomless Satchel:Because I have a magical Bottomless Satchel that is much bigger on the inside than on the outside, I can carry a large amount of supplies as long as each item can fit through the opening of the bag (which is about half a meter across at full expansion). I can Carefully overcome against a Fair (+2) difficulty to retrieve anything I've explicitly put into it; failure just means I have to keep rooting around looking for the item with additional actions. With the GM's permission I can also spend a Fate point to pull out a mundane item that can fit through the opening of the satchel that I haven't explictly put in but 'happen to have'.

Boots Of Striding And Springing:Because I have a magical pair of boots, when I wear them I am able to leap and run better than usual. If I am in a conflict and do nothing in an exchange except move,
I may move three (3) zones instead of two (2) zones and I am unobstructed by minor obstacles. If I am in a contest involving me running away or avoiding capture,
I gain +1 to overcome while I am Quickly Focused.

Goggles Of Night:Because I have a pair of magical goggles I can see perfectly in total darkness and gain +1 to defend against sight-based attacks when I wear them.

Ring Of Electricity Resistance:Because I have a magical ring that protects me, while I wear it I am immune to electricity and I take no ill effect from any attack that relies on electricity.

Benefit:A character may drink the potion as an action to 'cast' the spell Disguise on themselves. Treat this as if the create advantage attempt succeeded and the resulting spell Aspect has two (2) invokes.

Uses:[1]

Each usage box indicates a seperate use or application and each use expends a
usage box; when there are none left the item is expended.

Create advantage while Sneakily Arcane vs a Good (+3) difficulty to create a spell Aspect on myself called Magical Disguise for one (1) scene or until all invocations are used. While it is active this Aspect allows me to look like someone else. Attempts to imitate a specific individual are more likely to be disbelieved unless a convincing portrayal is given. I may invoke the Aspect to gain a bonus on an action where looking like someone else helps me succeed, such as attacking an unaware opponent. The spell Aspect can be temporarily neutralized by those with unusual senses or magic or special items creating an applicable advantage; the ability or item will generally specify how it works or what the difficulty is. The spell Aspect can also be overcome and thus removed by some abilities that explicitly counter illusions or dispel magic in which case the difficulty is determined as normal per the simple magic guidelines.

Benefit:+3 while Flashily Focused to overcome Invisibility Aspects (and similar effects) active in my zone or an adjacent zone. The dust immediately catalyzes
with a faintly sparkly display, disrupting most invisibility related effects. The
rolled result applies to all such Aspects active in the targeted zone, and any such
Aspects that are overcome are removed from play.

Uses:[1][1]

Each usage box indicates a seperate use or application and each use expends a
usage box; when there are none left the item is expended.

The user must be able to manipulate the pouch of magical dust and fling the dust
into the air in their own zone or an adjacent zone.

Benefit:+3 while Flashily Focused to overcome Water based Aspects (and similar effects) active in my zone or an adjacent zone. The dust immediately attempts to absorb all moisture in the area.
The rolled result applies to all such Aspects active in the targeted zone, and any such Aspects that are overcome are removed from play. Alternately this may be used as an attack against Water elementals.

Uses:[1]

Each usage box indicates a seperate use or application and each use expends a
usage box; when there are none left the item is expended.

The user must be able to manipulate the pouch of magical dust and fling the dust
at their own zone or an adjacent zone.

Whispering Coin:Because I have a magical Whispering Coin, its special magical abilities aid me in my adventures.

This ancient gold coin measures an inch in diameter and a quarter of an inch thick.
One face bears one of the seven ancient runes representing magic and sin, while
the opposite side bears the image of a broken column.

When carried, a whispering coin periodically haunts its carrier with soft whispers
that seem to be in an ancient language, but which are never loud enough to understand.

Once per day, when the bearer flips the whispering coin and asks a question in Thassilonian
while the coin is in the air, the coin provides an answer to the question as it
lands, either 'yes' (the rune) or 'no' (the broken column); the word 'yes' or 'no'
is also whispered into the user's ear as the answer is determined. A whispering
coin's knowledge is limited to events that have a significant chance to affect the
coin's carrier in the immediate future (no further out than a few minutes), and
is further limited to facts, not conjecture.

You could ask a whispering coin whether a door you were about to open is trapped,
but not 'Is the king the mastermind of the conspiracy we just learned about?' The
GM, in other words, can determine whether or not a whispering coin can answer or
not. If the coin can't answer, it spins on its edge upon landing for several seconds
before flopping over to a random side and does not whisper a 'yes' or 'no' into
the user's ear. The coin's one use for the day is still consumed.